Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-05-13
4 MODEST i1.aIDEN.


at was trout fishing on Pine Creek,
PENNSYLVANIA, below Smiths dam. Inc
creek below the dam was about five
rods across, and the bottom covered
with hard heads, from the size of
goose egg to barrel. The water was
three feet deep and ran like mill trail.
About ten rods below it ran into a hole
ten feet deep, and whirled around like
the whirlpool of Niagara. There was
no escape there for anybody if he was
unlucky enough to get in, unless he was
very expert swimmer. There were
saw-horses placed across the creek and
planks fastened to them for foot
bridge. had twelve-pound basket
nearly filled when saw an 19-year-old
girl come on the bridge. When she
got to me stepped on one of the saw
horses to let her pass. watched her
as she continued and don't think she
had got more than thirty feet from me
before 1 noticed that her head began to
swim. She gave one of those peculiar
screams such as is natural to all girls
when in danger, tottered for m instant
and fell head foremost down stream, and
being buoyed up somewhat by her
clothing the swift current carried her
rapidly along toward the deep hole. To
drop my rod and jump into the water
was but the work of second,
and I made my way over the
hard heads in three feet of water as
fast as [ could. went down twice,
but kept going and overlook her about
fifty or sixty feet from where she went
in, and then began the struggle. 1
grabbed her and turned her around, and
the first thing she did was to clutch me
with one hand and push her clothing
down with the other, and when she had
got them below the surface we were
both taken Off our feet and went slip
ping and floating down. We went
three rods before 1 gained a footing.
The girl must have been very fond Of
me, for l never got such q hugging in
my life rs she gave me. I had my
trout basket with the strap hung over
my shoulder. l kept swinging it
around, and it looked at one time very
much as though we three would go into
the deep hole. Well, 1 finally got a
firm foot-hold, and then I had painful
duty to perform, and that was to stop
that girl hugging me and get he1
quoted down SO that she knew what
she was about. told her that she
must take hold of her garments, and
with both hands raise them above the
top of the water, OF we never could gel
back to the bridge against the current
placed her in front of me, and put my
arms around her, and we went lock-ster
back to the bridge. I tell you, it was O
severe wrestle with the powders, cur.
rent, and basket Of fish, but we reached
there at last, and then continued the
same step to the edge Of the bridge al
which she came on. She wouldn't con
sent to go ashore unless I turned IN,
back. I'm old enough to be YOU
gradfather,' said. L don't care, say.
she, and began to cry. Dammit, says
I, swearing for the second time in my
life. And 1 turned round and stayed ii
the water while she climbed out, ar
ranged her skirts, and ran off, There
stood, with my long rubber boots filled
with water, and wet from head to foot
my fish half gone out of my basket, anc
three miles between me and the hotel.
-Ia17J, Field, and Farm.